


And They Lived...

by Midgard_writer



Series: Beyond Hawkins [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2020-10-26 07:06:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20738207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midgard_writer/pseuds/Midgard_writer
Summary: In 2019, what are the lives of the characters we know and love? (Contains characters and ideas from Beyond Hawkins)





	1. Murray

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write this series before I think of a story in the middle of my series. I hope you enjoy!

UPSTATE NEW YORK

The camera crew patiently waited inside of the home. They were going to interview Mrs. Faye in just a few minutes, but the room had to be ready. They set up a space in the living room where two chairs sat. Mrs. Faye was in the red chair, trying to stay composed. Ethan sat in one of the blue chairs, waiting for his father to be done getting ready. He knew his father liked to take his time, but they were wasting daylight. Ethan looked up to his half-brother, Michael, who sat behind the main camera. 

“Where is he?” Ethan asked.

“Hell if I know,” Michael sighed,” but he needs to be ready soon if we wanna get the interview done. And sage this place. The footage we got really freaked me out- Dad!”

Michael’s call was met with silence. Michael called out again, and this time heard an old man fumbling. He and Ethan smirked to each other as they saw their dad complaining and grumbling about not being able to take his time. Murray knew that they were on a tight schedule, but he hated when his stepson shouted for him to hurry up. The boys were trying to keep a straight face as they watched the bald old man sit in the seat next to Ethan. He looked over to his son who could not avert his eyes.

“Can’t you let an old man be in peace?” he asked. 

“After the entire episode is done,” Ethan looked to Michael,” Ready?”

“We go on in five, four, three, two,-” Michael flipped the camera on and the last interview began. 

“Welcome back to Ghosts Upside Down,” Murray said to the camera,” To kick off our fifth season, we decided to travel locally. Three miles outside of my city lives Mrs. Emily Faye. She claimed that there are ghosts that haunt her house. The video from last night proves that there is something lurking in her home.”

“Mrs. Faye,” Ethan looked to the woman,” Is there anything else you would like to say before we start to relieve the house of spirits?”

“When-when the spirits started to come around,” she said softly,” My cat, Summer, was getting angry. The lights were flickering one night and he was freaking out. The next thing I knew, he- he went missing. He hasn’t been back in two weeks. I’m afraid he’s been drawn away by the spirits and he might be gone forever.”

Murray stared at the woman, trying to process her words. The missing cat and flickering lights were all too familiar. He thought about the creatures he saw and what it did to his town. Hawkins was a mess because of the Demogorgons and the Russians. There was only one good Russian in that facility, and he was gone. Murray could think of so many evil creatures that lurked in his home. If there was a creature in the town... Ethan and Michael noticed their father’s reaction to her words. They knew his story and what kind of monsters lurked in their old hometown.

“Let’s get ready to sage the house,” Ethan decided.  
Michael turned the camera off. He offered to help his dad get the sage sticks and the matches needed to perform the act. Murray nodded and thanked his stepson for his help. Ethan helped bring out the bowls and opened all of the windows. Murray tried to forget about what Mrs. Faye said as he laid out two of the sticks out on a nearby table with a red cloth down on it. The bowl and matches were perfectly aligned. Michael set up the camera and looked to his father.

“Are you ready, Dad?” he asked Murray.

“Yeah,” he nodded,” Yeah I am.”

Michael turned the camera on and looked to his stepdad. Murray told his audience about the pain and suffering the house contained. That they had to start saging the house right away. Ethan and Murray lit up their sage sticks and went around the house. The smell overtook the rooms as they walked around. While Ethan recited his ‘be gone’ speech, Murray’s mind went back to the cat. If Summer faced the same fate as Mews, Murray worried for the safety of the town. The poor children and cats of the town would soon be-

“Summer!” Mrs Faye called as they finished saging the last of the house. 

Outside was the fat orange cat, who hobbled up to the front steps. Mrs Faye excitedly ran down the steps and to her front porch. Ethan finished up the dialogue, stating how the cat was scared of the lurking spirits, while Murray just stared outside. The older woman was praising her little lost cat and crying. Of course the creature wouldn’t be lurking here. None of them would, now that they were dead. He had to think of something else. 

“Boys?” he went on,” I’ll be right back, okay? I need to make a phone call.”

Ethan and Michael nodded as they went back to discussing the footage. They knew who Murray went to call. The older man went out through the backdoor and stood in the yard. He pulled out his phone and flipped through his contacts. He hit a number and waited for the man to answer. It took a few rings before he got a groggy “...Hello?”

“Hey Jim,” he said,” How are you doing?”

“I was sleeping,” he replied with a yawn,” What do you want?”

“In my recent investigation, a woman’s cat went missing. The only thing I could think of was the Demogorgon. The cat’s name was Summer, you know, like my granddaughter. It just made me think of everything we’ve been through and how the Demogorgon tried to take everything away from us. It just...it really made me think that we were gonna go through it all again.”

“Murray,” Hopper came through,” We won’t have to go through that shit again. You and I both know that we ended things back here. We’re safe now. We always will be.”

“Always,” Murray smiled,” Hey, thanks Hop.”

“Anytime. Now, when’s your next episode coming out?”

As they talked, Murray felt relaxed, knowing that everything was gonna be just fine.


	2. Dustin and Suzie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

HAWKINS, INDIANA, -SEPTEMBER 7th, 1989

Dustin was quickly trying to climb up the hill. He had to get to Cerebro for the last time (for the year, at least). Today was a special day. He knew Suzie couldn’t be there in person, but the least he could do was say Happy Birthday. Every year, she’d casually wait by the radio, pretending that she didn’t know Dustin was there. Then she’d excitedly talk to her boyfriend about her day and the gifts her family got her. Even as they got older, the excitement they had for one another and their conversations grew. Dustin hoped it would never end. 

“Suzie?” he asked as he got onto the radio, a smile on his face,” I would have been here sooner to wish my Suziepoo a happy birthday, but it was the first day of senior year.”

The radio was silent. Dustin knew she was playing her usual game. He waited patiently, despite the silence being a little bit longer than usual. No matter, he would wait forever, if it meant getting to hear her voice. After another minute, he heard the static coming through. He hopped on the dial and adjusted it slightly. 

“Dustin?” she asked softly.

She never really referred to the boy by his first name. It was always her cute little nickname that came through. Dustin tried not to overthink it as he sat in the grass. He wished her a happy birthday, and got a short ‘thanks’ as a reply. He knew something was wrong- though he hoped he was just overreacting. 

“So,” he asked,” What did you do today? Did you have your favorite kind of cake?”

“Dustin,” she said,” I need to tell you something. This is the last time I’m gonna be talking on Cerebro.”

“It’s my last time too!” he exclaimed,” Until summer, that is. I’m not sure how I’m gonna do it in college, but I’ll find a way, Suziepoo, I promise.”

“No, Dustin, this is my last time on Cerebro.”

Dustin was confused for a minute. Then it clicked in his mind. He stayed quiet for a minute, listening to the silence and static. He didn’t know what to say or think. He couldn’t hear Suzie, until she said she was sorry. That she had to go to college away from Utah and didn’t know when she’d come back for it. 

“Will I ever hear from you again?” he asked quickly.

“I..I don’t know,” she admitted,” There’s just...there’s so much to think about. And I don’t want to leave because I still..”

“Still what?”

The radio went silent. Dustin waited for her reply for what seemed like ages. Until he figured it out. He begged Suzie not to go, that they could still talk somehow. He talked of a life they could lead and the places they could go. If only she would stay. But when the response was only static, Dustin leaned back on the grass. He was trying not to cry, but it was pretty damn hard. After all, he just lost the love of his life. 

BOSTON UNIVERSITY, 2019

“Now remember,” Professor Henderson told his students,” This is about to be the coolest thing you guys have ever seen. So hold on!”

Dustin watched as his students walked up before him. The Radio Science majors were a fun group, he’d found out, as the years went on. His love for science and technology came out in his job. He never had a dull moment in his field, and today was no different. As soon as they reached the top of the building, feeling the warm March sun and the cool breezes of Boston, they were taken over to a nearby sheet. The students gathered with anticipation and watched as their professor grabbed the sheet and smiled at his students.

“Are you ready?”

With their approval, Dustin ripped the sheet back. The students looked at the radio with deep fascination. This was the Cerebro they’d been hearing about all year. It was the reason they had pen pals at the beginning of the year. Dustin smiled at the amazement in his students’ eyes. 

“Now,” he said,” To get an A on this assignment, all you need to do is come up, put in the right coordinates, and try to contact your pen pal. Don’t worry if you can’t get to them- their radios might not be working. Jennifer, why don’t you go first?”

The bubbly redhead smiled as she bounced to the front. She pulled out a sheet of paper and turned the dials in all different directions. Dustin watched her as she grabbed the microphone and stared at the radio.

“Hans?” she asked.  
“...Is this Jennifer?” A boy on the other side asked.

The kids became excited as they wished to have a turn. Dustin appreciated their enthusiasm as they crowded around Cerebro. He was pleased with himself for making such a device at such a young age. Yet, as all the students watched their classmates play with the radio, he felt a missing piece. He couldn’t get figure out what it was until he stared at the radio, watching a student of his and a girl from Japan sing. When he figured it out, he went quiet and waited until the students all left before he approached the radio. The sounds of the city took over as he sighed and kneeled down. He grabbed the microphone and took a deep breath before…

“Suzie, this is Dustin, do you copy?”

A shot in the dark, if he was honest, but he needed to know if she was out there. And he had a feeling that she was.

“I just want you to know that I never forgot about you,” he admitted,” I know you had to leave but I did to. I got away from Hawkins because I needed a new adventure. After that fall, I’ve craving something outside of my hometown. I know, it’s a cool place, but I couldn’t…I know you’re not there, but I wanted you to know that I still care. I’m so glad we met Suzie, I miss you.”

Silence he was familiar with. Dustin knew he couldn’t get to her, but it was worth a shot. As he set the microphone aside, static started to rise. He paused as he heard a voice trying to come through. The professor adjusted the dials and listened in closely. These were local coordinates he’d put in.

“Dustin?” the voice asked.

Dustin couldn’t believe his ears. 

“Suzie!” he exclaimed with a smile,” Oh my gosh! You’re on Cerebro!”

“Dustin!” the woman said,” I never thought I’d hear from you again.”

“Same here,” he said as he sat cross-legged on the ground,” How long has it been? Thirty years? Wow, it’s been forever. How have you been?”

“I’m great!” Suzie said,” Oh Dustin, we have so much to catch up on. It seems that you’re local.”

“I’m at Boston University,” He explained,” I teach there now.”

Suzie sounded happy for Dustin. He listened to her praises, then they decided to meet up. Seven o’clock at Bella Donna’s Pizza. They insisted they bring each other’s family, but they didn’t tell the truth. 

“So who is Suzie again?”

The pizza parlor was near empty and Dustin didn’t mind. He was patiently waiting for Suzie but he was too excited. His teenage son, Dennis, was curious about Suzie. He’d only known about the mysterious woman for only a few days. His father insisted that he and his little sister Mary meet the woman. They were curious, but hopeful. With their mother gone, the two were hoping to have a new role model in their lives. Dustin, meanwhile, nervously watched as a woman and a boy walked through the door. The boy looked about Dennis’s age and the mom...the smile was a dead ringer. They locked eyes as the woman approached with her son in tow. The adults couldn’t stop smiling.

“Dustin,” she said,” Its so great to see you. Dustin, this is my son, Jake.”

Dustin shook the young man’s hand and introduced his children. Before their meals, the two talked about their love for college and how much they’d missed each other. How their spouses had been gone and that they’d been raising their children alone for a long while. But together, they were happy, and went back right where they left off.


	3. Erica

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Hawkins remained mostly the same in 2019 as it did in 1985. New buildings stood and more people came through the streets, but it still had that sense of mystery. Erica always found that she enjoyed the mysterious looking town from her office tower. Being CEO of Hawkins’s very own ‘Myth Records’ had its perks, and an office on the top floor was the best one. As she walked around her office, reading some of their recent deals, her assistant, Johnathan, knocked on her door.

“Come in,” she insisted.

“Good morning, Mrs Gershwin,” the young man said as he put the files on her desk,” I got our recent sales numbers. They’re even better than last month’s!”

“Great work, Johnathan,” Erica praised,” I’ll sign off of these and you can get them back to George. Please call my husband up and Johnathan? Please get some rest this weekend. You look frazzled, dear.”

Johnathan nodded and ran off. She knew how it felt to be working from the bottom up. He’d been her assistant since she became CEO, and she knew exactly how he felt. Her boss was a bitter, cold man who was used to having women working at his every command. He was cruel and Erica told herself that no assistant of hers would ever be treated that way- especially if they couldn’t stand up for themselves like she could. Within a few minutes, her husband came through the door. Erica smiled and walked over to Zach and gave him a kiss.

“Hello Boss,” he said,” Is everything alright?”

“Hi baby,” she said,” What do you say we leave a few minutes early today? I need the weekend more than anything right now.”

Zach agreed and left to grab his things. Erica packed up and left her office without another thought. She bid many works a good weekend and that she’d see them on Monday. As she got into the elevator, Mrs. Gershwin thought about how lucky she was. She’d had a great job, a great family and great adventures along the way. She admitted (to herself) that she missed all of the weird shit that occured in Hawkins. All of the monsters in her hometown were right under her nose and she didn’t realize it until all of the cool stuff stopped happening. Naturally, it was her luck. 

She stepped out of the elevator and made her way over to the door. Her husband waited patiently in their car and smiled as she got in. they soon left as they talked about their day, shuffling papers and signing off new records. They loved their jobs, but even the life in a record company got boring.   
“I’m just glad to be going home,” Zach sighed,” I need the weekend to sleep in.”

“Me too,” Erica sighed,”but we have the weekend to you, me, and the kids.”

Her husband smiled at the sounds of that. They kissed once again as the car pulled up into the driveway. Zach was busy fumbling for his briefcase while his wife walked up the stairs that led onto her front porch. She opened the door with ease and called for her children. They didn’t answer, but her mother quickly answered. The older woman smiled as her daughter came up to her, giving her a tight hug.

“How was work, dear?” she asked as Erica set her bags down.

“Tiring as usual,” she said with a small laugh,” Have the kids been giving you trouble?”

“No, they’ve behaved themselves just fine,” Mrs. Sinclair stated proudly,” They’ve been busy upstairs playing their games.”

Erica knew her sons would be busy playing their new video games instead of spending time outside. She couldn’t complain much, being that her boys always did their work and stayed on top in class. They were good kids and that’s all she could ask for. But the only problem was…

“Mom!” 

Roseanna came running down the stairs, anger in her little face. Erica tried to hide her laughter as her daughter came up to her. Roseanna reminded Mrs. Gershwin so much of herself. The attitude, the looks and even the voice were the same. She had literally given birth to a ‘Mini Me’. Mrs Sinclair knew it too, but she kept quiet as she was talking to her son-in-law.

“What’s wrong, Roseanna?” Erica asked her daughter.

“Jack and Eddie have been playing ‘Dragon Trainer 3’ since they got home,” she angrily explained,” and they won’t give me a turn!” 

“Of course,” Erica mumbled, then raised back to her normal voice,” Alright, I’ll talk to them, dear.”

She bid her mom a goodnight and went upstairs into her eldest son’s bedroom. The boys were taking down enemies and letting fire spread throughout the fields. They laughed about their positions and how they had the evil king bowing before them. As they high-fived each other Jack, the youngest, noticed his mom and little sister standing in the doorway. Eddie rolled his eyes and paused the game.

“Hi mom,” he sighed.

“You know you need to let your sister play,” their mom demanded,” Everyone needs to take a turn training dragons and slaying bad guys and that’s final!”

“But mom,” the younger boy said,” We don’t have enough controllers.”

“Besides,” Eddie turned the game back on,” if we can’t play the game, there’s nothing else to do.”

Erica pondered for a moment. In fact, there was something to do. After a quick toss of her high heels and a trip to the attic, Mrs Gershwin sat the kids in front of the coffee table and pulled out a stack of boxes. The three looked confused at the boxes, while Erica shuffled through and opened them up.

“What is it?” Jack asked as he pulled out the weird dice that came with it.

“Dungeons and Dragons,” Erica said,” It’s a game me, Uncle Lucas, Aunt Max and our friends used to play. We would play for hours and hours until we had to do something or to be somewhere. Those were the days. It’s something you can all play without having to worry about taking turns with controllers.”

“How do we play?” Roseanna asked.

Before she could answer, Erica heard her phone ring. She told the kids she’d be right back, and went off to talk. Eddie’s first idea was to pull out of his phone and begin playing Youtube…

“Alright, John,” she said,” I’m going to talk to my husband about dinner. I’ll talk to you later. Have a good weekend.”

Erica shut off her phone and went to check on her kids. She heard the excitement from the living room, and peered in. Her kids were jumping around and laughing as they rolled dice and exclaimed moves and such. Erica gave a proud smile as she walked past, seeing herself in those kids. Perhaps, after dinner, she could join them as the bard she once was.


	4. Robin and Mandy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

1986, HAWKINS, INDIANA   
Robin watched as her family quietly ate. The tension hadn’t been there yet, but Robin anticipated for it. She saw her mother eating her dinner peacefully, while her father was busy reading the paper. Her sister, Molly, had been over her best friend’s house that night. Perhaps this was for the best. Her parents hadn’t noticed their daughter’s quiet nature, as always, but she needed to speak up. Steve would be here soon if things were going to go wrong. Mandy offered to come to, but Robin refused. She didn’t know how her family would react to their lesbian daughter when her girlfriend sat right beside her.

“Mom, Dad,” Robin was not about to keep the secret any longer,” I have something to tell you.”

“What is it, Robin?” her father asked.

“I’m a lesbian.”

She had said it so proudly and out loud that even she shocked herself. She blushed softly as her father looked up from his readings. Her mother looked slightly horrified, eyes wide and to her daughter. Robin knew her parents wouldn’t react well. They were just about as bigoted as most people in Hawkins were. She wondered how the Stanfords felt about their daughter being a lesbian and if they were alright with it. She could only assume that they had taken it better than expected. 

“You’re a what?” he asked.

“A lesbian- I like girls.”

“When did this happen?” her mother asked softly.

“Always,” her daughter sighed,” Look, I know it’s hard to process, but this is who I am and I hope you can accept me somewhat for who I am.”

“What about that Steve boy?” her father sputtered out,” Isn’t he your boyfriend?”

“No, but he’s my friend-”

“How could you do this to us?”  
The words confused Robin. She could see the anger on her father’s face and the tears in her mother’s eyes. She was starting to see that coming out to them was a mistake. She could feel regret in one way, but on the other hand, she was free. She could, in a way, be herself and not care what others thought. But as she looked to her parents, she was reminded of all the hatred that was in the world. Particularly in her own household. 

“Why does it matter if I like guys or girls?” she asked, standing up” I’m tired of hiding who I am in front of you guys!”

“You’ve seen what’s been happening out there,” her mother began to cry,” People like you are dying everyday because of that new disease. Is loving a girl actually worth losing your life? Is it, Robin?”

“People like me…”Robin paused, her fists no longer clenched as her hands hung to her sides,” I didn’t think you guys would react this harshly.”

“How did you expect us to react?” her father asked,” You come out to us in the middle of dinner and tell us that you’re gay? It’s bad enough that you like women, but if ever brought home a girl…You wouldn’t be happy with her.”

That had broke Robin. She stormed off and up the stairs of her former home. Her parents were looking for a way to react, while Robin had her bags packed and ready to go. She’d been prepared for a situation like this. She could sense that her parents would have an awful time accepting who she really was. She needed to forget them and needed to focus on herself and her future. She stared out the window and saw Steve, in his little car, waiting patiently as he was working on a letter. She noticed, however, Mandy was sitting in the back seat. Fear ran through Robin’s heart as she dragged her bags out of her room and downstairs. Her parents looked into her eyes, begging their daughter to stay. Even though she knew they would never really accepted who she was. She looked into their eyes as she opened the door, putting her stuff on the porch. As she stood in the doorway, Robin took it all in. Her childhood was gone now, as she made one last remark. 

“Mandy and I are happy together.”

She slammed the door, grabbed her bags and walked towards the car. Steve and Mandy noticed and the girl got out of the car. She began to place the bags in the back, while Robin was trying to hide her tears.

“Robin, I’m sorry-” Steve was interrupted.

“What are you doing here?” Robin asked Mandy.

“I know,” Mandy sighed,” but I had to make sure you were okay.”  
The softness in her girlfriend’s voice made Robin’s eyes overflow with tears. Mandy took her girlfriend into Steve’s backseat and they drove off. Robin had been crying, and both her girlfriend and best friend were heartbroken. Steve hated to see his best friend go through such a tragic event. He loved her to death and would never want anything to happen to her. Especially this. When he was at a stop light, he turned to Robin and watched as she sobbed in Mandy’s arms. 

“Robin,” he said softly,” Fuck them. You deserve a lot more than the bullshit you put up with at that house. We love you so much...but you’re gonna hate me.”

“Steve?”

“We have a change in plans.”

Robin leaned back in the seat as Steve drove on. They made their way through streets and past the tallest buildings in Hawkins. Mandy was nervously tapping her feet against the bottom of Steve’s car. She was hoping this would all go over well and that everything could be somewhat normal in their lives. She could feel herself tense up as they approached the Stanford house. Mr and Mrs Stanford stood in the doorway, smiles on their older faces. Robin turned to Mandy, who was blushing and looking away.

“My mom and dad insisted that they help you,” she said,” They thought you’d like to live with us..”

Robin hugged her girlfriend, thanking her softly. Mandy smiled and leaned into the hug. They got out of the car with Steve and the family was more than happy to greet their ‘daughter-in-law’, as Mr Stanford joked. Robin smiled and thanked her new family- she was happy to have accepting people in her life.

2019, NEW YORK

“Here’s your prescription, Mrs Tanner,” Robin smiled at the older woman,” I apologize for it taking an extra day!”

“That’s alright, Robin, dear,” the old lady smiled,” I wouldn’t come to your store if I didn’t trust you.”

Robin smiled and thanked the older woman. As soon as she left, Robin checked the clock. Another successful day had come to an end. She knew her pharmacy had had a busy day (judging by her sore feet and back) but the woman couldn’t be happier. She loved her job and her new life and she couldn’t leave it for anything. Now all she wanted to do was come home to her beautiful family.After she bid her employees a nice night, Mrs. Buckley walked upstairs and into the living room. Mandy sat on the couch, fiddling with her pen as she graded papers. Robin and smiled and hugged her from behind, planting a kiss on her cheek.

“Hello, Mrs. Buckley,” Robin said as her wife giggled,” Grading papers, I see.”

“As always,” Mandy sighed,” but they’re wonderful. I never thought I would have such word choices and fluency from middle school students. Especially a young lady named Joanna.”

“I got pointers from the teacher,” their daughter said.

Joanna had liked being a part of her mom’s classroom. She’d had a close relationship with her moms and was happy to be a part of the family. The young girl grabbed the nearby mail and handed it to Robin, who ruffled her daughter’s hair. Robin found a bill, junk mail and a letter. She only saw that it was from Hawkins and, without thinking, opened it up. As she read on, she stood beside the couch, frozen from shock. Jo looked to her mother, who was unsure of what was going on. 

“Jo, dear,” Mandy said,” Would you go into the kitchen?”

Jo, knowing it was a personal matter, scampered off. Robin had finished the letter when the wives made eye contant. Mandy somehow knew that it was the Buckleys. Robin sat down next to Mandy, who asked what had happened. 

“They’re apologizing.”

“What?” Mandy asked with disbelief. 

“They feel guilty about everything,” Robin paused,” Mandy, I have to call them…”

Robin went straight to her cellphone. She walked off to her bedroom, and Mandy stayed, knowing her wife needed to be alone. She hoped all was going well, and while she wanted to read the letter on the coffee table, Mandy knew it was private. She waited quietly until she heard the bedroom door open and Robin stepped out, tears in her eyes. Mandy stood up and walked over to her wife. 

“What happened?” she asked softly.

“They...they meant it,” Robin said softly,” Mandy, they want to make amends. They apologized for treating me the way they did. They apologized to me and they told me they missed me. They said how much having me gone was killing them. That they’re going to accept me for who I am. They..they love me, Mandy.”

Mandy couldn’t help but smile for her wife. She pulled her into a hug, swaying slightly as she did. Jo came out of the kitchen and Robin welcomed her with open arms, telling her how her grandparents would finally get to meet her.


	5. Lucas and Max

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

2008, SAN FRANCISCO  
The house was old and nearly broken, but it would have to do. Lucas promised he’d help Max fix it up, but she still didn’t have a reason to believe him. Though they’d been a wonderful couple, Lucas made a ton of little promises that he didn’t keep. He’d take the trash out. He’d mow the lawn. He’d wash the dishes. The one promise he kept, however, was starting a life with Max. 

They’d flown out just yesterday, but her husband wanted to make it a surprise. He claimed the house he bought was happy, full of life, and in a good neighborhood. One out of three wasn’t too bad, Max supposed, as they walked up the stairs of their new home. Max glared at her husband, looking at their new home. He noticed her death glare, and gave a nervous smile.

“Well,” Lucas looked around the inside of his new home,” It’s ours.”

“Do you think we’ll be able to fix it up?” Mrs Sinclair asked, holding their two year old on her hip and watching the paint chip off of the walls. 

“Of course!” he said,” We just need a little paint, a little wood fixtures and-” they heard a long bang, and they both jumped back, before they realized it was the pipes.

Max walked around their house. She looked at the old paint chipping on the walls. The odd smells and creaking noises made her panic. How could they live in a place like this? After she saw the dirty windows, she glanced at Lucas.

“Look, I know I promised a good house-”

“You promised a safe house for our future family,” Max glared, too afraid to put her son down,” Lucas, I was alright with moving back to California. I know it’ll be great for our budget and all, but I can’t keep our son in a place like this. Especially when I wasn’t the one who picked the house. I mean, you know I like a good project, but why here?”

Lucas knew his wife was getting upset. He felt guilty even before he walked through the front door of their home in Hawkins. He felt awful about going back to a place Max couldn’t forget. Though the promotion was incredible, Lucas knew how big a move this would be for the family, and he had to make it up to her. There was only reason he’d truly bought this house. He set down one of the bags and stuck his hand out to her. 

“Let me show you.”

Max, hesitant, took her husband and walked outside. She wasn’t sure where they were going. They walked silently, Max still holding their son as they walked off. Lucas hoped that their little trip would make this whole move worthwhile. They approached the edge of the beach, and Max looked to her husband with tears in her eyes. He tried to hide his smile, but it shone through. 

“I’m surprised I kept this a secret for so long,” he admitted,” I know coming here wasn’t easy for you. And I want to make it up to you- because you followed me here and let me go on to my dream job. I’m gonna spend time with our family and raise our kids in a beautiful house.”

“That you promise to help with?”

Lucas couldn’t help but smile as they kissed. Their son looked out to the ocean, then turned his head to his mother. He grabbed her sleeve gently, and Max asked if he was okay, concerned for his son. 

“Mama,” he said strongly,” I wanna go to the water.”

“That’s the ocean,” Max said enthusiastically, setting him down on his feet and taking his shoes off, along with her own,” This is the beach. Can you say beach, baby?”

“Bitch,” their son said proudly.

Lucas tried not to laugh, as did his wife. They choked back their laughter as they took each one of their son’s hands, walking barefoot in the sand. He obviously enjoyed the feeling, laughing and trying to run. He was already in love with the beach at two years old. Max felt herself tear up, but she held them back as their son felt the water on his feet. He looked up to his father and laughed. Lucas smiled and watched their new world. He saw the ocean stretched out and his wife and son playing together and the edge of the tide. He could get used to life like this.

2019

The summer day was coming to an end. The beach had been almost bare by now, except for Max and Lucas, who laid on the beach towels. Max was watching their son surfing along the waves, moving quickly and with ease. He’d been surfing ever since he could climb on a board, and now, he was in love with the water. Lucas was busy helping their young daughter pick through the seashells. She’d placed the bucket in between his legs and grabbed her other basket, running back to the shoreline. The couple couldn’t help but chuckle as they watched their children. Max held her husband close as they watched their babies do what they loved best. At their beautiful home. Max had been quiet that day, and Lucas knew why.

“I know tomorrow’s not gonna be easy for you,” Lucas whispered.

“Thirty four years,” Max sighed,” I still think about him. I wonder if he’s up there, or down there, trying to see what’s going on here. I feel like, if he were here today, things might be different. I never had a good relationship with Billy, but the day he died...”

Her tears drowned her blue eyes, her thoughts of Billy overflowing in her mind. She didn’t want to think about him during such a time, but it was hard not to. Lucas knew how hard it had been for Max to truly get back into the swing of things after her stepbrother died. Billy was never close, but he still took a part of his little stepsister with him. Lucas tried to comfort his wife as their daughter ran up to them, holding a piece of blue sea glass. 

“Mom,” she said,” this piece of sea glass is as pretty as your eyes.”

“Oh,” Max wiped her tears as her daughter placed the glass in the palm of her hand,” Jamie, that’s beautiful, thank you, dear.”

The two shared a hugged as Max tightly wrapped her arms around her daughter. Lucas sat back and watched. He was grateful for his family and his life in California. He looked out into the ocean, his son riding safely on the waves. Seeing his boy surf, Lucas stood up and cheered. His mother started clapping, watching her son become one with the waves. When he and his surfboard came in, the family walked over and gave praise to their son. 

“Way to go, Billy!” they said as their son grabbed his board and ran to him. 

“I knew you could do it, son,” Lucas said.

“We’re so proud of you, Billy,” Max smiled.

“Thanks mom,” he said with a smile,” I knew I could do it!”

“Why don’t we go celebrate with some pizza?”

The family packed up and walked to their wonderful home, knowing the beach would be there in the morning.


	6. Dean and Lily

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

“And action!” 

The set was perfect in its own fucked up way. The trees were bent out of shape, the fog machines were finally working and everything seemed to be in order. The young boy, ‘Phil’, stepped forward on the path of leaves. His hands trembled as he walked, calling out for his friends. Finn did not answer; neither did Benjamin nor Daisy. Cole was on the other side of the world and Ruby- Ruby was nowhere to be found.

“Ruby,” Phil’s heart was racing,” Ruby!”

“She’s not here anymore,” Vince stepped from behind him, making Phil turn around quickly,” But I am.”

“I know you died,” Phil was confrontational towards the figure,” I know you’re not real.”

“Oh really?” Vince smirked,” I don’t think you understand what-”

“Cut!” 

The scene stopped. The actors looked to Dean, who held a copy of the script in his hand. As a director and co-writer, he knew this scene was supposed to have more emotion. He and Lily spent countless nights making this season finale was perfect. His sister understood this, but she knew her son (who played Phil) was doing the best he could.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, leaning in the seat next to him.

“I need more emotion from David,” he said, then turned to his nephew,” David, I want you to remember how long Phil has been wandering in that world. Remember how he fought against monsters and couldn’t get to his best friends. Think of how he feels after losing Ruby. Losing Vince. Losing his dog!”

“Phil isn’t a confrontational person,” David recalled,” So should he be angry or sad?”

“Both,” Dean declared,” This is the first time he’s ever felt so strongly about...well, anything! From the top.”

As the set was getting ready again, the actors going back to their places, Dean leaned back. He just wanted the season finale to end on a good note with viewers. After a long third season, he wanted them coming back, begging for more. He wanted “The Northern Trait” to be a television success. And it wasn’t going to happen if he couldn’t get every little detail right. Lily knew this and she couldn’t help but smile at her brother’s misfortune. But it didn’t go unnoticed.   
“What’s so funny?” he asked with a sort of miserable tone.

“I remember when a certain someone used to be such a disbeliever,” she laughed,” He’d called bullshit when it came to certain stuff that went down in his town. Now, he’s panicking because nothing is as accurate as the town he, at first, hated.”

“I think that’s why I want it to be perfect,” he sighed and leaned in his director’s chair,” I felt like I didn’t do justice to Hawkins the first time I came there. It’s a great town and I wouldn’t know what to do if I didn’t live there.”

“We’d be writing a television show about something else.”

“Point is,” he continued,” I don’t want this show to go downhill and get cancelled because I didn’t stand by my favorite home. The show deserves to be great and I don’t think that-”

“Hey dad! Check it out!”

Dean turned around and smiled at the girl to his side. Jane had wanted to be a part of her father’s television show since his first script. She’d never asked for a big role, but when he presented her with the idea of ‘Ruby’, she couldn’t resist. Here she stood, in the new costume her mother had personally made, a smile on her young face. Lily was deeply reminded of Eleven, but kept quiet as Dean praised his wife and daughter.

“Your mother did a fantastic job with this,” he declared,” Look at the way the bottom’s torn! The way the sleeves are cuffed and the color- it’s perfect! Jane, you look beautiful.”

“Thanks Dad,” she smiled,” I can’t wait to be on screen!”

“We should probably start your scenes,” Dean turned back to the set,” Okay guys, you’re getting there! We’re gonna move onto the scene where Ruby comes back. I need…”

Lily noticed David walking off of the set. He seemed quiet, and she knew why. She walked away from her excited brother and towards her son. The boy sat on the nearby bench and looked down at his feet. His mother could always tell when something was wrong. His eyes would always avert to the ground and he would bite his lip. Lily sat down next to her son and put a hand on his shoulders.

“Do you wanna talk about what’s bothering you?” she asked.

“I just don’t get why I’m a bad actor,” he said.

“You’re not a bad actor-”

“Then why can’t I get that scene right?” he asked,” Every time I practiced it, I was told that I was improving. That my emotions were growing stronger and that the confidence could be seen in my eyes. But when I get on stage, I keep getting “More emotion!” or “Give it your all!”. I really am giving it my all, mom, I really am.”

Lily knew her son was giving it his all. He just could not help but become distraught. She understood what he was going through, and it broke her heart. She pulled him close and watched the others running on set to finish what they could. David leaned on his mom’s arm and she couldn’t help but smile. 

“Dave,” she started,” You’re doing great. I know it seems hard, but you’ve been improving so much since you first started playing Phil. Remember Season one, episode four, when you gave that speech about wanting to have a sense of freedom?”

“How could I forget that?” he asked with a half laugh,” Uncle Dean and Dad made me recite the speech over and over again. I had it stuck in my head for forever.”

“And did you get better at it?”

David understood what his mother was saying. He knew practice made perfect. His mother always knew what to say to support her son. He thanked his mom and hugged her, and Lily couldn’t help but smile. She watched as her son went to practice his lines, eyes on the script. Lily watched her brother smile at her as she took her seat, watching the scenes of her show play out.


	7. Steve and Deborah

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

MAY 1990, BATONSVILLE, INDIANA  
The books were almost all off of the floor by three o’clock. Deborah had insisted that the shelves be reorganized again. It was the third time that month that she’d rearranged the shelves, but more orders meant less shelf space. Which also meant new titles and new orders to put books in. As she was putting away the last of the W’s, Steve stood outside the door. He couldn’t believe what he was about to do. He could already tell this was going to fall apart, but as he watched his girlfriend in her happy world, his fears were fading and his smile grew as he quickly opened the door. This was the right decision, he was sure of it! He quietly entered the shop and walked down the aisles, letting her put away a few more before he coughed. She looked up and smiled as she popped up.

“Excuse me, miss,” he said,” I’m looking for a good book about a beautiful girl. I believe it’s called ‘Deborah’.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked, elated to see her boyfriend,” You have a graduation to be at.”

“We do,” he smiled,” And that’s tomorrow. Besides, can’t I see my Debs every once in a while?”

Deborah giggled as they kissed. Steve knew if he didn’t speak up now, all hope would be lost. He pulled away from the girl, and took her face in his hands. They locked eyes for a minute, until the boy remembered why he was really there.

“Hey,” he said as they walked to the front,” I found a book when I was looking through all my old stuff, you know, from when I was a kid. And I wanted to know if you recognized it.”

Before Steve could reach for the book, the front door opened. Steve’s eyes went wide as Dustin, Robin, Lucas, Max, Will, Mike and Eleven entered the shop. Dustin held onto a book, and Steve felt a weight in his chest. It was more from nerves, but he was still scared. Deborah gave a confused look as the book was handed to the older kid. 

“Here you go, Mama Harrington,” Dustin winked,” We figured you needed your book in order to, y’know. Hey Mama Willis! The shop looks great.”

“Thank you Dustin,” Deborah smiled,” I actually just rearranged it. Now, Stevie, what did you want to show me?”

Getting rid of the others was not an option at this point. Steve could tell, just by looking at his friends, that he wouldn’t be able to have some privacy. With a deep breath, the boy handed Deborah a book. ‘The Perfect Surge by Ari Willson’ rested in her hands. She had seen the book all over, but she hadn’t had it in the shop. It had been a rare book, in her eyes, but now she held it. There was much more to it.

“What I wanted to show you,” Steve stood close to her, going behind the lady,” was Page 86. There’s a line I can’t get past and was wondering if you understood it.”

“Okay,” Deborah began to flip through the book,” Now where’s the-?”

The line popped right out at her. Everyone except the couple before them was smiling. Steve was biting his lower lip as Deborah skimmed through the page, and stared at the line. It was one of her favorite characters, Doterra, speaking to Jared, her lover. 

“‘Will you marry me?” Doterra spoke in such a low voice, that Jared didn’t quite hear her, until the look in her eyes was clear,’” the line was written. Carefully taped on the red bookmark was a ring, with two purple stones and a diamond in the center. It looked so fragile as Deb went to examine it. She turned to ask Steve if this hadn’t been a fantasy, but he was already on one knee, looking up to her with eyes of worry and love.

“Debs,” he said softly, almost in a whisper,” I...I realize everyday just how much I love you. You are the most wonderful nerd I could’ve ever met. Ever since you corrected me with ET, I’ve wanted to get closer to you. And that first date, when you and I were singing ‘Who’s Johnny?’ throughout the diner I just...I adored you. I love you to death...so will you be my partner, for better or worse, fighting Demogorgons and demons, and marry me?”

“You really want to marry me?” she asked, then when given a nod and a smile, her eyes lit up,” Of course, Steve, of course I’ll be your wife!”

The kids cheered as Steve took the ring off of the bookmark and placed it on her finger. Deborah couldn’t believe that she’d been proposed to. She was going to be Mrs. Harrington. As they shared a kiss, Kevin and Rudy came out from the back. Kevin, jokingly, looked angry, but it scared the hell out of his future son-in-law. Had Mr. Willis forgotten that he’d approved of the marriage? Before Steve practically began to cry, Kevin approached and pulled him into a hug. It shocked the daylights out of the Harrington boy, until he saw the smile on his face.

“Welcome to the family, Steve.”

“Thank you, sir,” Steve looked to Dustin,” Son, will you be my-”

“Best man?” the boy smiled,” I thought you’d never ask.”

Talk of a wedding came to be in seconds, and the planning grew and grew, but the couple was more focused on each other.

2019, BATONSVILLE, INDIANA   
Batonsville High School’s Chemistry class patiently watched the small controlled fire. The burner hummed softly as the flame gently flickered. The students watched with anticipation as they waited for the ultimate change in the flame. It all depended on Benny, who held the copper in his tongs. He looked back at his teacher, who readjusted his goggles. 

“Are you sure this is safe, Mr Harrington?” the boy asked nervously.

“The only time we’ve ever had a bad incident was three years ago,” the teacher mentioned with a smile,” which is why I wear a hair net.”

Without any more hesitation, Benny let the copper go into the flame. The blue light flickered in front of the excited children, who earned a smile from Steve. Their happiness and enjoyment was key for the teacher, who had been bored with school for most of his life. Something about getting to educate his own students meant a lot to him. As he discussed the reaction, he heard the bell ring. The kids sounded disappointed about leaving, which was music to the aging teacher’s ears.

“Don’t worry guys,” he insisted as they cleaned up,” Tomorrow, we’ll learn more about chemical reactions, take a few notes, then do an interesting little lab, so be well rested!”

The students bid their favorite teacher a good evening as they went off into the hallway. Steve felt proud to be considered a favorite amongst the students. He could see that they enjoyed his lectures and loved the hands on learning approach. It made Steve think of how much his kids loved science. His son grew up with a love for biology, while his first daughter had grown attached to chemistry. As for his youngest, he could tell science was not her gig. But she enjoyed it nonetheless. As Steve approached his car, his phone went off. It was his son, who’d been all the way in California. 

“Hey Dustin,” Steve answered,” How are you, buddy?”

“Hey dad,” he said,” Jenna and I just wanted to thank you for the quilt for Carly’s birthday. I think she’s starting to love the periodic table.”

“It’s a Harrington family thing,” Steve said,” Hey, did you hear from Jane yet? Did she make it to New Jersey?”

“Yeah, she did and she loves it! I don’t know if she called mom yet, but…”

Steve was listening, but his mind kept going all over the place. His kids were growing up. Two were gone and one was close to leaving. In a few months, she’d be on her way to Pennsylvania for bigger and better things. He knew his wife had been saddened by this, but she wouldn’t admit it. And he didn’t know why.  
“-And here’s your change, Mrs. Denver,” Robyn smiled at the woman as she handed her the money,” I hope Wilbur enjoys his copy of ‘The Creature Trials’.”

“Oh, I’m sure he will, dear,” the woman smiled,” After all, he’s a big fan of Mike Wheeler!”

Robyn waved to the lady then went back to work. Deborah was happy that business was booming. The copy of Mike’s book flew off of shelves, and into the arms of happy readers. She felt encouraged as she watched her inventory go out. Her father would have been proud. It had been about three years since Kevin died. Deb still felt that hole in her heart, but it had been filling up with the love of her family. Yet, as she looked to her youngest, whose life in Pennsylvania was about to start, she realized that hole would keep opening up. 

“Hey mom,” Robyn looked to her watch,” I have to meet the student council to talk about our Awards Day.”

“Okay dear,” Deb said as her daughter packed up,” Just make sure you stay safe!”

“Will do!” she called back, running out,” Love you!”

Robyn left in such a hurry that her mother had to take a moment to watch her daughter run to her car. Deb felt her heart break slowly, but put her smile on as she looked to her next customer, and the smile became genuine when she noticed who it was. 

“Hello Mr Harrington.”

“The days just keep getting better and better.”

Deborah had closed up shop and the couple sat together by the ‘Classics’ and enjoyed some dinner they’d ordered from their favorite pizza place. They talked about their day and the wonderful things they’d seen throughout their day. Music softly played in the background as they sat together, drinking and eating side by side. 

“I couldn’t agree more,” she sighed,” But, if I’m honest, Steve, I’m a little...upset.”

“Why?” he asked, showing concern for his wife. 

“Our kids are grown up,” she said,” Dustin has a family of his own, Jenna’s moved way and Robyn’s about to leave. We’re getting old and Dad’s been gone for a while now. I never thought change would get me so...down.”

“Oh, Debs,” Steve let his wife lean on him,” It’s alright. The change is good for all of us. And it’s sad, but we’ve got the bookstore, our house, and each other.”  
Deborah was happy to have her husband in her life. As they shared a kiss, they heard El DeBarge come through the radio. Steve smiled to his wife, stood up, and extended his hand to her. 

“May I have this dance?”

Deb giggled and stood up. They danced together as the music played, swaying and laughing and forgetting about the pain they’d gone through.


	8. Story 8: Nancy and Jonathan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gone for a while and for that, I apologize. But with a break from college, I can finally write! So, enjoy this new installation!

HAWKINS, INDIANA 1991  
Nancy sat quietly on her bed. In a way, she felt guilty for living in her parents’ home. She’d offered to pay rent and make sure she and her husband would be out as soon as possible. But her mother and father were insistent that they could stay. Nancy knew it was because her father’s age was catching up with him, and Mrs Wheeler would not be able to keep up with him, herself and Holly. But perhaps Nancy needed the practice in taking care of her little sister, she thought, as she stared at the picture in her hands.

Jonathan came in with the camera around his neck and the polaroids in his left hand. Nancy quickly hid the picture and it thankfully went unnoticed. The man placed his camera on the desk and smiled to his wife, who smiled back.

“Did you get any good pictures?” she asked as he sat on the bed next to her.

“I’d say so,” he nodded, showing her the different trees and animals he’d captured,” I went by Murray’s old place and found a ton of stuff to take pictures of. Maybe not as cool as a Demogorgon, but still beautiful.”

Nancy smiled at her husband’s work. He loved his job more than any man she knew. He certainly loved a lot more than their fathers ever did, and that included their family. Nancy nervously rubbed the picture that was behind her back. She wondered if now was the time to speak up. Now had to be the time. 

“You’re a great photographer, Jon,” she kissed his cheek,” And I decided to try my hand at it too.”

“Oh really?” he asked with an eyebrow raised.

Nancy handed him the picture and nervously waited. Jonathan seemed confused for a minute, trying to figure out what the picture was. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings by saying he was confused, but he couldn’t help but...he turned to her after a second, finally reading her face. He looked into her eyes and felt his back tighten.

“Is this-?”

“I guess you could say I’m preg-Nancy.”

Jonathan felt his chest tighten. He’d never been sure about being a father. He saw the way his deadbeat dad treated his kids. He never wanted to grow up to be that kind of man. But when he saw his wife and the picture together, Jon realized that he was finding true happiness. Jon took his wife into his arms and held her close, shaking slightly as he tried to hold back tears. But he couldn’t help himself, so he allowed tears to rush down his face as he pulled away.

“How long have you known?” he asked.

“A month,” she admitted,” I just wanted to-”

“No, no, I understand,” Jon held his wife close,” Nancy, I promise you that I’ll never be like my dad when it comes to raising our baby. I don’t want them to feel ignored or left out in life. I want them to know just how loved they are and I…”

“Jonathan,” she whispered softly, running her hands through his hair,” I never thought that you’d be like your father. You’re too kind to be anything like him. You’re gonna make a great dad- I know you will.”

Jon nodded, then looked down at his wife’s stomach. They were having a baby. He couldn’t believe it. He bent down and leaned his head against her stomach, feeling a sense of pride and shock all at once. Little Byers…

HAWKINS, INDIANA, 2019

“My first story is going to be about the protest outside of the movie theater,” Gerard mentioned,” I’m going to ask some of the townspeople and the protestors about their thoughts on the situation. I was hoping to have Miss Willow come and take pictures of the protesters as well. Do you think that’d be a good story, ma’am?”

Gerard was new, and he’d been told that he had to see the owner of The Hawkins Post before he could begin a new story. He was told that Mrs. Byers was a sweet, older woman, but he couldn’t help but be nervous. He was just some sort of intern without a clue as to what the news business had to offer. So when Nancy gave him a smile, all of the young man’s nerves went away. 

“That’ll be a great story, Gerard,” Nancy insisted,” I can’t wait to read it.”

Gerard thanked the woman several times before he fumbled out of her office. She knew how hard it was for new people, and she tried to give them all of the support they were destined to be needing. Not even a few minutes after Gerard happily went off, an incoming call came to her computer. She knew exactly who was calling from Toledo, so she answered it with a big smile.  
A young boy’s face popped up, and she knew what he wanted.

“Hi Jackson,” Nancy said softly.

“Hi Grandma,” he answered,” Do you remember that paper about William Shakespeare you helped me write?”

“Of course I do.”

“Well...I got an A!”

Nancy congratulated her grandson proudly. However, she could not help but praise herself a little. Writing came easy in the family and she couldn’t help but thank herself. As they discussed the next assignment, she looked to her computer time, and saw that it was almost four. After saying farewell to her grandson, she logged off and grabbed her gear. As she was walking out, she asked her closest assistant, Lucille, to tell anyone who asked that she was out.

“Off to interview the mayor, ma’am?” she asked.

“Sure am!” Nancy walked to the door,” I just hope it goes over well.”

\-------

“Okay, Mrs. Baldwin,” Jonathan smiled,” Just slide a little closer into the frame.”

The woman did as told, and gave a big smile. Jon felt pride as he took the picture. He loved doing photoshoots for the people in his town. It was just something to pass the time, while he was doing his best down at city hall. Jon took three more pictures, before he heard his phone ringing. He looked down to see that his secretary was calling.

“Excuse me,” he said before he answered the phone,” Joan, is everything okay?”

“You have a meeting with your wife in five minutes.”

Jonathan’s eyes went wide. He’d forgotten about the interview! He quickly finished up the photoset before he grabbed his gear and ran to his car. The family thanked him for such a fun time, and he smiled and waved. He was happy to do so. He drove out of the parking lot and down the road. He knew Nancy would kill him if he didn’t get their in time. He approached the building just as Nancy was driving down the road. He quickly parked the car and shuffled into the building. Joan was waiting nervously.

“You made it just in time, sir,” she said as they walked to his office.

“I have a feeling she knows that I forgot,” he admitted as he sat in his seat,” She was around the corner when I came in.”

“But at least you’re here now,” Joan looked to the windows of the office,” It would have been worse if you’d just entered-”

“Good morning Joan!”

The two watched as Nancy entered the room. Her bag was secure on her side, with her notepad by her side. Joan went off soon after, going back to her work. Jon helped his wife set up the area, then got ready for his interview. 

“You look great,” he said with a smile.

“So do you,” she smirked,” For someone who forgot about his interview.”

Jonathan blushed, but he could tell Nancy wasn’t angry. She never seemed to get angry at something so small. She set up her interview, asking simple questions that her husband answered happily. She felt safe as their interview started, knowing the mayor was there to help as their interview went into depth. They spent their time quietly as they talked, happy to be in the company of one another.


	9. Rudy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

HAWKINS, INDIANA, 2019  
Rudy watched his students while they took their test. They had been so focused on the Vietnam War for the past two weeks that it’s all they thought about. They knew their upcoming test was going to be a struggle, even if it was open book. They were always so good with their work, but recently, they seemed bored with their education. Mr. Willis hated to see his best students fall out of love with learning--he knew their next lesson might get them interested. Once every test was handed in, the history teacher stood up in front of his bored class.

“Now,” he said,” the moment we’ve been waiting for, the theme for the big project. I know that some of you have been bothering me about it for some time, but I feel like now’s a good time to reveal it.”

Rudy clicked on the nearby computer and grabbed the remote to the projector. He turned it on, only to have a blue screen. The kids looked around, amused that their favorite teacher still had trouble with the projector. A student in the front told his teacher that he had to change the channel on the projector. 

“Thank you Robert,” he said with a soft chuckle,” I still can’t get used to this. Now, our big presentation--is on Hawkins!”

The students’ ears perked up at the sound of their hometown. They looked all around, their faces lit up at the sound of their new project. They were always interested in talking about the history of their town and all of the weird rumours. They were now invested and Rudy was proud. He went on to explain the project, using any platform and talking about anything they desired. He passed out a paper that held the requirements and, as he did, a star student raised her hand immediately after he asked if there were any questions. 

“Yes, Julie?”

“Can we even discuss all of those supernatural rumours?”

“Of course!” Rudy laughed,” A report on the history of Hawkins would be nothing without those rumours about all the things that happened here!”

“Even the weird aliens that my mom swore she saw when she was little?” Christian asked.

“Why not?” he asked,” After all, this is the project where you can have freedom! Do what you will with it! I only ask that it be school appropriate.”

“Mr. Willis?” Julie asked again,”Do you believe all those rumours?”

Rudy agreed immediately. He glanced to his wrist, remembering his tattoo as he spoke about the supernatural beliefs. He’d been a small part of what went down, but his whole life was a reminder that odd happenings occurred and it was the way it was meant to be. The bell went off and the students were dismissed. Rudy wished them a safe weekend and hoped they would get started on their projects. Rudy began to pack up, getting ready to grade papers as soon as he got home. He walked to his car and hopped in. As he drove off, he watched the kids walking off, excited for their weekend. It made him miss the 80s and all of his friends, especially the summer of 86’ and after. He saw himself relaxing in the fields, telling Mike and Dean how he used his powers to mess with his sister. Or, as he walked to the arcade with Lily, Lucas and Max, told them about life in his hometown of Batonsville. Or, how he, Dustin, Mike, Eleven, Robin and Mandy spied on Steve and Deb during their first date (to which his sister found out and was furious for about an hour). For a while, each memory made Rudy miss everything the way it used to be. Even if his summers and times with his new friends were short-lived, he had those memories. And he loved them. 

Rudy approached his home just a few minutes later. He parked in the driveway and went to the front door, where he heard the dogs barking. Chloe and Milo hopped beside their owner, happy that he was finally home. Rudy called out for his husband, unsure if he was even out of work yet. He set down everything in his arms and went into the living room, where Micky was lying on the couch in sweatpants and a t-shirt. He hardly ever wore his sweatpants so his husband could tell it had been a long day.

“What happened?” Rudy asked as he took his tie off.

“Just another long day at the office,” he sighed,” being a manager is difficult. I tried to tell Richard that he should have those reports ready by today. I told him that two weeks ago and he comes up to me and tells me his dog ate them. His dog, Rudy!”

“What a tragedy,” the teacher laughed.

“I need a good weekend to me, you and the dogs. So anyway, babe, how was your day?”

“Well, today is the day I introduced our big project to the students,” Rudy said as he moved next to Mick, leaning in his arms,”They seem really excited about it.”

“I wonder if they’ll do a report on you without knowing,” Mick laughed, then paused to look down at his husband,” Y’know, when I was younger, growing up here, I swear that I saw a Demagorgon lurking around my house.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah...It almost didn’t feel real. I remember sitting there, staring back at it, wondering if it was going to attack me. But after it heard something and ran off, my mom came in to my room. She was all panicked and worried about me...you know, I think she might’ve saw it too.”

Rudy believed his husband. He understood what those creatures did, and why they were dangerous for people like them. He felt their world was close knit as they shared a kiss. Mick’s end suddenly went up, staring at the door. Rudy watched with slight confusion.

“What-?”

“I forgot I ordered a pizza.”

Suddenly, they saw a car pull up and a pizza guy walk up to the door. Rudy rolled his eyes and gave Mick a smile as he got up.

“Hey Number Nine,” Rudy called,” You’re bleeding.”

Mick grabbed a tissue and thanked his husband, walking to the front door and getting their pizza without another thought.


	10. Story 10: Joyce and Hopper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

BATONSVILLE, INDIANA, 2019  
The breeze was a nice touch, according to Jim. He took in the beautiful day, soaking up the joy of his retirement. He’d been counting down how long it had been since he retired from Batonsville Police Department. Today, it was seven years, three months, twelve days, six hours, ten minutes and forty two seconds. It was one form of entertainment for him, being that he hadn’t done much during his time at home. His new days were spent sitting on the porch watching the world, or in the living room sleeping or watching TV and movies, or snoring like a bear in his bedroom. He hated feeling like an old man, but his wife reassured him that he did a lot in his time. Even so, Hopper could admit that he missed the old days. After Murray gave a panicked call, he couldn’t sleep. He figured it would be best to get some fresh air and relax. He watched the world and the trees, waiting for some kind of change. 

“This is where you are.”

Hopper looked to the door and smiled at his wife. Joyce was still so smart and so beautiful, despite her age catching up to her. He opened his arm and offered her a seat next to him, which she happily accepted. They sat close on the porch in silence. He would love to sit by her side, everyday, growing old and remembering their time together. Which reminded him…

“Murray called.”

“Oh?”

“His recent investigation had him freaked out,” Jim explained, “This lady’s cat went missing and it had the same name as his granddaughter and--”

“He thought it was a Demagorgon?” Joyce asked,” Yeah, I understand. I was thinking about our old, crazy adventures because I was just talking to Rudy, and before that, Debbie.”

Jim nodded. Today was the third year since Kevin died. Joyce took on a mother figure for everyone who didn’t have a mom. Even though some of her ‘children’ were older, she accepted her new role with pride. And, since Rudy and his sister were left without parents, Joyce would often call them up to make sure they were okay. Everything seemed fine between them and in their own hearts. 

“Those calls got me thinking about the good times we’ve had,” she smiled,” Do you remember Christmas 87? When we had that big party at the Stanford’s house?”

“The boys were just playing in the snow and getting each other soaked. Jonathan was trying to give Nancy that engagement ring, but he almost lost it in the snow.”  
“I swear,” Hopper was laughing,” We were looking for hours for that ring. And it was by his foot the entire time. Thank God she said yes--I don’t think they’d return a ring that’s been in the snow.”

Joyce snorted and covered her mouth. Hopper smiled down at his wife, then he paused. He remembered his time in the Upside Down. How he pushed past the problems and faced harsh conditions just to come home. It all had to do with the purpose for coming back. He looked towards the nearby path and, seeing that it was a beautiful day, he rose from the porch and took her hand.

“Wanna go for a walk?”

The couple kept their eyes forward on the trail, with Joyce close to her husband. Her arms wrapped around his arm, with the gentle wind pushing against their faces. Hopper watched nature so carefully that his mind was all over the place. He knew he was feeling a little over emotional today because, well, he didn’t know how much time they had left together. He tried to keep his feelings in, but the minute he watched her hands gently squeeze his arm, he had to tell her his thoughts. 

“Do you know why I came back to the real world?” he asked.

“I would imagine that living in the Upside Down isn’t pleasant, Hopper,” she sighed.

“It’s because I knew you were alive. And...over these years and all that time in Hawkins, I kept finding my way back to you. And I think it was meant to be that way and...I’m not sure how to express this.”

“I get it, Hop. And I’m thankful that you found your way back to me.”

Hopper and Joyce shared a kiss as they walked down the path. Once they made it to the nearby pond, they turned around, laughing at all of their old stories. They talked about their time in Hawkins and the stories they liked to share about moving in together. When they got home, Hopper started dinner to the joy of his wife. She was, at first, insistent that she make the dinner. But he could tell that she didn’t have the strength to cook. He made her sit at the table and have a good drink. 

“Hey,” Hopper was reminded as he chopped some of the vegetables, “What time is your appointment?”

“9 AM,” she said,” Are you sure you don’t mind driving me up there?”

“Of course I would.”

“Thank you,” Joyce sighed,” Doctor Avalon said the results are good, but they want to keep giving me treatment in case it’s going to spread.”

“Good idea,” he said as he mixed the spices,” we want to make sure you’re as healthy as you can be.”

Joyce nodded, but she was still feeling tense. As she watched Hopper cursing about the heat, she got up and wrapped her arms around him. He paused for a second, unsure of what she was doing. She rested her chin against his back, with a final thought aloud before she went back to her drink.

“Even though I’m sick and I’m old,” she said,” I think being with you for the rest of my life has really helped me. Thank you, Jim, for everything you’ve done.”

She sat back down and acted as if nothing had happened. But the retired officer was smiling like a fool. He was finally getting his happy ending.


	11. Story 11: Eleven and Mike

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get it? Chapter 11 is about Eleven? I had to. Enjoy!

HAWKINS, INDIANA, 2019  
Mike’s office was becoming more and more of a mess. He promised himself, after he wrote the last chapter, he would start to clean up. His wife knew it was a long shot that he would actually do so, but she went about her day as per usual. She called to her kids to let them know that breakfast was ready. They didn’t hear her as she called twice, so she closed her eyes and let the lights flicker. When she opened her eyes, all four of the Wheeler children filed in. Satisfied, Eleven wiped her bloody nose and served breakfast. The oldest, Michael, was anxiously looking for something. 

“Can’t find your keys, Mike?” Eleven asked as she tossed him his car keys.

“Thanks, mom,” Mike said as he sat at the table.

“So let’s go over the schedule,” their mom said,” Mike, you have band practice right after school. Jane, you have tryouts for the school musical--I know you’re gonna do great! James, you’ve got AV club and Teri, you’ve got a playdate with Amanda today. Mike will take Jane with him and pick up James at the middle school. Teri, your dad is gonna pick you up while I make dinner. Does everyone know the plan?”

The choir of children understood their mother’s words. Once they were done with breakfast, the kids grabbed their belongings and ran to the door. Eleven kissed all of her children and waved to them as Michael pulled out of the driveway and the kids were off to school. Eleven closed the door and went to washing the dishes. As she was finishing, she heard her husband come out of his office. 

“Well, I did it,” he yawned,” the book is finally finished. I felt like I was gonna be in there for forever. Say, do you want to hear what this book’s about?”

“After you get done cleaning your office.”

“Okay, okay. I suppose I should do that.”

Mike went back to his office and looked all around. It would take a little while, but he figured he had enough time. He walked over to the pile of fanmail that had been opened and read, and loved. He shuffled through the letters, knowing that, if they had an extra room, it would be dedicated to the fanmail people had sent over the years. His book series ‘Upside Down’ sparked a lot of admiration, despite only having one book so far. The fame Upside Down had received in the span of a year and a half was unbelievable to the family and their friends. Mike was grateful, but he was still trying to figure out how such a weird story could be so popular. Nonetheless, he was happy to be organizing fanmail and fanart along his walls. He spent two hours doing his best to make the office look nice before he took a deep breath and stepped back. Finally, it looked like the type of place he could peacefully work. His wife leaned in the doorway and flickered the lights. To this, Mike turned around and gave a smile. 

“What do you think?” he asked. 

“Nicely done,” she said,” now, I would love to hear about the sequel.”

“...So, after Carrie ends up leaving Kopfüber,” Mike said as he and his wife sat at the kitchen table,” she ends up in a town in Pennsylvania, meaning that there are other portals. Meanwhile, Ted meets Mary Lee Walsh, a member of The Fall Society. She convinces Ted that she can help him and the others get to safety. When she does, she reveals that there is another group working on the portals, but they have to act fast, and, at the end, Carrie meets Arens, a son of the former president of The Fall Society. The family has been hiding since the society got a new president, and they know exactly what is going to happen to Carrie, Ted and their hometown.”

Eleven was nodding and listening to what her husband had to say. She stirred her coffee, taking in his thoughts and ideas as he rambled like an excited kid. He was passionate about his work. He couldn’t wait to get the second book published and it was understandable.

“I’m gonna go down tomorrow and talk to Mr. Denton about getting the book published. Do you want to come down with me?”

“Sure,” she sighed, resting her chin on the palm of her hand,” You know, I still think about how we’ve made it this far.”

“What do you mean?” Mike asked.

“Well, we went from being kids who found out their town is insane to...adults. How did it change so quickly? How did we ever make it?”

“I made it because I had you,” Mike saw the look in his wife’s eyes,” No, I do mean that. I think about it a lot. If I hadn’t met you, I don’t think I would’ve found true love. Then I think I wouldn’t have found my place in the world and I wouldn’t have my family and the inspiration for my story. El, I have a lot to thank you for, and, while I’m here, I have to thank you as much as I can.”

Eleven stared at her husband, not knowing whether she should kiss him or thank him. Or start crying. But she knew that their love was growing stronger each and every day. She knew what it was like to be alone and trapped. How Mike made her feel like she was free and that she had nothing to worry about. She smiled and kissed his lips, to which all he could do was blush. 

“You’ve done a lot for me,” she got up,”and I want to do so much for you.”

“You have,” Mike paused,” oh wait! I forgot to tell you the name of my book!”

“Oh? And what would that be?” 

“Upside Down: Stranger Things.”

“...A nice ring to it. I think the audience is going to love it.”


	12. Story 12: Will

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

NOME, ALASKA, 2019  
The snow at his feet was fresh and the wind was bitter. Despite this, Will felt happiness. It was the first time, in a while, that a trip made him feel young again. He knew his next article was bound to sell, being that the people were practically begging to hear what Alaska was like. His fans were sending places from all over the world, and, after a hot visit to Dallas, he felt as though he and his family could use a little bit of cold. 

Though Will spent his days traveling, his mind was back home. He frequently called his mom to make sure she was doing well. Daily texts to his step-dad came through and his friends were always making group chats. But it wasn’t just the people that were on his mind. Every incident back in Indiana was always making their way back into his mind. Not a day went by that the Byers boy did not think about how he was trapped in another world. How creatures took his childhood and growing up ruined almost everything he had. In a way, he hated the past, but there were all those good contributions that brought joy to his life. And he tried to relax in his travels. Sometimes, however, it didn’t work. 

While Will was documenting his thoughts, he froze. He felt as though he had a creature crawl on the back of his neck. He shivered as he remembered how much the creature loved the cold. Will touched the back of his neck in fear. It was with him again, wasn’t it? It somehow came back and followed him to Alaska. It was hiding for so long and now it was slowly taking over his body. He started to breathe heavily and felt the weight on his shoulders until a hand was placed on his back.

“How’s the article coming?” Alexandria asked. 

His wife snapped him away from another deep thought. She looked into his eyes and understood that he was having another ‘episode’. Will put a hand on her shoulder and kissed her temple. 

“Thank you.”

“Did you feel it again?” she asked softly. 

“Yeah, yeah,” he nodded,” I felt like it was crawling on the back of my neck.”

Alexa completely understood what her husband was going through. When she studied Hawkins, she recalled all of the stories that were filed. When the two met, she was eager to learn about his hometown. Will loved how much she knew about Hawkins and how she believed everything he told her. Deep down, she really knew. 

“Do you think it came back?” she asked.

“Oh, no,” he said,” I know it wouldn’t be back. I guess it’s just the extreme cold that makes it act up. It liked the extreme cold, you know. I remember when it took over my body, after I got out of the Upside Down. I was so cold afterwards. That feeling was a lot stronger than it was right now. I think I just had a bad memory.”

“Why don’t we go inside and get something warm to eat?”

Will agreed as he kissed his wife again. They went inside and Jane, their daughter,was waiting for them. The family had dinner and, soon after, they went to bed. Will was tossing and turning in his sleep. He felt like he was being trapped. The nightmare came quickly. He was a kid again and he was standing by Fort Byers. He felt a weight on his chest as he walked towards it. But, as he did, it went up in flames. He stepped back and nervously watched, turning around. As he turned, he found himself surrounded by old faces. There were all those that died in 1985, there were others that watched, and the Hollands’ daughter, and everyone had fell victim to the events. Will looked around nervously, and as they approached, he began to scream.

“Will!” His wife yelped.

The man sat up in bed, realizing that he had a nightmare,. He looked to his wife, who gave a sympathetic nod of understanding. She knew what was coming next. He grabbed his cellphone and walked to a quiet part of the house. He waited for someone to pick up the phone and then…

“Will?” Dustin asked, “Did you have another nightmare?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Will sat on the couch,” it was just everyone surrounding me. They were circling me, Fort Byers was on fire…”

“Take a deep breath,” Mike answered,” Just block everything else out. We’re all right here.”

“I just don’t understand why I’m still having these dreams. These nightmares are coming and going and I don’t know..”

“Nothing will happen,” Eleven spoke up,” There’s nothing that’s gonna happen again...they can’t get back.”

Will and the others continued to talk. Lucas and Max were on the other end too. They were all talking, straying away from the past. The whole crew went on about their day and asked Will about his article. All the while, Will was finally calming down. He smiled as the night sky shone and their conversation was coming to a close.

“Guys,” he yawned,” I want to thank you for everything. All these years and, no matter where we’ve been, we’re still together.”

“We’re family,” Eleven said,” we stay together.”

“Hawkins for life,” Lucas laughed.

As they ended the call, Will looked back up at the sky. It was the same one that Murray was looking at as he edited his episode. It was the same one Dustin and Suzie and their families ate underneath. It was the same one that Erica was playing DnD under, or Robin and Mandy were video calling their daughter’s long lost grandparents. Underneath the sky, Lucas and Max were laughing with their kids about their big move back to Cali. And Dean and Lily were finishing up their filming as they prepared to go for dinner. Steve and Deb were dancing together while looking at the stars, Nancy and Jon were at the end of their interview, Rudy was also under his roof, his husband snoring away. His mom and step-dad were lying on the front porch while watching the sky and Mike and Eleven were getting ready for the book to go out into the world. Will felt some sense of calmness as he walked back inside and laid back down.

In his dream, he saw Bob smiling to him. He was standing next to a man with curly hair and big glasses, who was drinking a slushie. Then, Will saw Billy, who gave a sad smile. And as Will had the best dream he’d had in a while, the whole world fell silent. And all of those strange things had been pushed out of his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading! I hope you guys liked it!


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